Mthoko Emmanuel Madonda, Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Wanting to develop his business skills and confidence, Mthoko chose to study at LSBU

This was an accessible option for Mthoko, both in terms of price and the course content. He also wanted to study at a University that was able to accommodate his work commitments.

Engaging subjects

Mthoko thought the lectures were very engaging. "The structure and course content was great and just what I needed to gain confidence in my ability and skills. The course content was at a level that I could grapple with and deepen my understanding of business."

Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Consultation were Mthoko's favourite modules. "I think I gained the most out of these modules because they were an integral part of my job and I was able to immediately apply what I learnt in my work. I have since developed the African strategy for my organisation. The tools I gained from the course have enhanced my ability to think strategically about ways in which I can operate as a professional."

Mthoko feels that the Entrepreneurship module enabled him to create a business plan for a social enterprise that he's trying to develop, and Consultation gave him the tools to understand how the consultancy world operates.

Self-belief

More than giving Mthoko the relevant skills for his profession, the MBA also gave him more self-belief. "The MBA definitely helped me grow in confidence. The course offered me an opportunity to constantly present ideas, interact with other students and think critically about issues. I hadn't had many opportunities to present my ideas and be critiqued in a healthy manner so that was very useful for my professional development."

"I think the main thing I took away from the course was the language and business tools that I can apply to my current role. But again, the confidence given to me by lectures and class mates was really important to me."

Brighter future

Mthoko is an advocate of "You get out what you put in", an attitude that paid dividends for him on the course. "The learning process begins with you and you really do get what you put into it. There are things that I would have liked to focus more on which were not covered during my MBA programme, however I found ways of discussing these with lecturers and I was able to do my dissertation on social entrepreneurship which is close to my heart. LSBU was flexible and I found the content challenging but not overwhelming and it enabled me to develop."Mthoko has now been promoted at the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, where he is now Africa Manager, and with the skills and confidence gained from the MBA he is confident of an even brighter future.